Disneyland Resort

Disneyland Resort is the home of the original Disney theme park, and 50 years later it remains as popular as ever. For many reasons Disneyland has historically had a different atmosphere than Walt Disney World where the company's control over the surroundings is almost absolute. With the expansion of the resort area in 2001 to include Disney's California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and a new world class hotel (the Grand Californian), the Disneyland Resort took a major step toward creating an experience more like Walt Disney World.

And yet, unlike Walt Disney World, it is possible to save a lot of money by staying at off-property hotels and resorts and actually not be any farther away from the parks than the people staying at the nice Disney resorts.

Park tickets are available from several sources and in many different combinations from tickets good for just one of the parks for a single day up to tickets good for five days of admission at either park. From there you can get an annual pass at one of several levels.

Premier Annual Pass: $1099 for all ages (parking is included, valid at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort)

See our Blackout Page for information on blackout dates for various annual passes.

On-Site Ticket Purchase: Ticket booths are located at both ends of the Esplanade (the section between Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure) as you approach either from the Harbor Blvd. side or the Downtown Disney side. If you already have tickets, you can proceed directly to the park entry gates; tickets are not sold at the entry gates.

The Disneyland Resort is located in Anaheim, California, just off of the Interstate 5 freeway. If you are trying to get to the main parking at the Mickey & Friends parking structure, take the Disneyland Drive exit and follow the signs to the parking garage. You'll also want to use this exit if you're going to one of the three on-property hotels. One exit farther south is Harbor Boulevard, which provides access to other area hotels.

The Resort has several parking areas; traffic signs will direct you to the lots in use the day of your visit.

The Mickey & Friends parking garage is one of the largest parking garages in the world and is the main parking area for the Resort. The structure offers surface-level parking for busses, tractor trailers and recreational vehicles. Access from here to the parks requires taking a tram or walking about three-quarters of a mile. Trams are stroller- and wheelchair-accessible, though a separate wheelchair-accessible van is occasionally used during busier periods.

The Lion King parking sections are comprised of the Simba Lot behind the Paradise Pier Hotel and the Pumbaa Lot off Disney Way across from Anaheim Garden Walk. Access from the Simba Lot is by foot through Downtown Disney (about 1/2 mile); access from the Pumbaa lot is by foot across Harbor Blvd (about 1 mile). Shuttle bus service is occasionally offered from the Pumbaa lot. There is no tram or bus service from the Simba lot.

The Toy Story lot opened in the Spring of 2010 near the corner of Harbor and Katella, behind an existing Cast Member lot. Shuttle bus service is offered from this lot.

Visitors may also be directed to park in the Anaheim Garden Walk parking structure. This structure is directly across from the Pumbaa parking lot, about a 1-mile walk from the Disneyland Resort. When in use for Disneyland Resort parking, shuttle bus service is offered from this lot, and regular Disneyland Resort parking rates apply.

To avoid being parked in one of the "remote" or "overflow" lots, it's best to use the Disneyland Drive exit from the I-5 South, or follow the signs for the Disneyland Resort Hotels if you arrive from another direction.

All lots except for Downtown Disney have the same rates:

$17 for cars

$22 for recreation vehicles and tractors without trailers

$27 for busses and tractor trailers

Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders with a parking pass can park for free in any of the Disneyland Resort pay lots, excluding Downtown Disney.

Self parking in the Downtown Disney lot is free for the first three hours and then costs $2 every 20 minutes up to a maximum daily charge of $30. An additional two free hours is available with validation from the AMC theater or any of the table-service restaurants in Downtown Disney. Valet parking is available during select evening and weekend hours for an additional $6.

The Disneyland Resort has two unique parks which are, unlike the parks at Walt Disney World, right next to each other. Despite their proximity, they have separate gates requiring separate admission so it is not possible to jump between the parks unless the correct admission has been purchased.

Disney California Adventure This park celebrates the varied geography and cultures of California, and includes a recreation of the town from Pixar's Cars.

Disney operates three on-property hotels, though this doesn't necessarily mean that they are closer to the park gates than nearby non-Disney off-property hotels. The Grand Californian Hotel is the grandest of the three, with its own entrance into Disney's California Adventure and easy access to Downtown Disney. The other two hotels are a bit farther away though all three offer an immersive Disney experience.

Other dining — The Coffee House, located near the hotel lobby provides a spot to stop in the morning for a cup of coffee and pastry.

Grand Californian Hotel

Napa Rose Fine dining at its best at an award-winning restaurant and wine bar.

Storytellers Cafe Solid American food with buffet and menu options. Chip & Dale host a character breakfast in the mornings.

White Water Snacks Quick snacks and grilled meals provide some surprisingly good choices.

Other dining  The Hearthstone Lounge in the hotel's lobby has a full bar and an extensive wine list. An appetizer menu is composed of choices from the Disneyland Resorts other top restaurants. The Redwood Pool Bar has an impressive selection of quick grilled items in addition to alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

MousePlanet® is not associated in any official way with the Walt Disney Company, its subsidiaries, or its affiliates. The official Disney site is available at www.disney.com. This MousePlanet Web site provides independent news articles, commentary, editorials, reviews, and guides primarily about the theme park resorts of the Walt Disney Co. All information on this site is subject to change. Please call destinations in advance to confirm the most up-to-date information.